


Sober

by justanoutlaw



Series: Crash [2]
Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: Alcohol Abuse/Alcoholism, Captain Hook | Killian Jones & Evil Queen | Regina Mills Friendship, Evil Queen | Regina Mills & Maleficent Friendship, F/M, Flashbacks, Future Fic, Gen, Parent Evil Queen | Regina Mills, Parent Robin Hood (Once Upon A Time), Pre-Evil Queen | Regina Mills/Robin Hood
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-25
Updated: 2018-11-25
Packaged: 2019-08-29 00:35:37
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 728
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16733664
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/justanoutlaw/pseuds/justanoutlaw
Summary: The before, after and in between of the Outlaw Queen story: Crash.





	Sober

**Author's Note:**

> Anonymous on Tumblr prompted: dq + 44 (“If you die, I’m gonna kill you.”)

The first week of Regina’s sobriety was a living hell. It didn’t help that she spent it laid up in bed, first at the hospital and then in her own home. Daniel had stuck by his word and had moved into his mother’s with Henry, saying that until he had concrete proof that she was starting to get better, she couldn’t be around their son. She was losing everything at once and it felt like her entire world was crashing down around her.

 

Mal wasn’t one to put up with self-pity, however. She marched into Regina’s room after seventh day and found that she hadn’t touched her breakfast.

 

“You need to eat,” she told her.

“I feel like I’m going to be sick,” Regina mumbled, her face buried in the pillow.

“Yeah, well an empty stomach might be a part of that.”

“No, it’s because I’m going through withdrawal.”

“The first week’s a bitch, then the physical symptoms slowly get better. You stop sweating and shaking. The appetite for it is still there, but you work through it with A.A.”

 

Regina grumbled as Mal pushed back the heavy cream curtains, letting some sun into the room. Given the fact that she hadn’t touched a drop of alcohol since the accident, it was odd that she felt like she had the world’s worst hangover.

 

“Speaking of meetings, how about we get you to your first one.”

“The doctor says I won’t be able to walk again for 6 weeks.”

“He also gave you a wheelchair.”

“Yeah, I’d rather not.”

“You need fresh air, Regina. Get out of bed, take a shower and get started with the next phase of your life.”

“Which is what? A divorcee with little to no custody of her child.”

“You don’t know how any of this is going to work out. I sure didn’t.”

“You weren’t a mom when you decided to get sober.”

“No, but I did have a big family that I pissed off several times with my drinking. Daniel wants to see that you are going to get better. Once he does, then he’ll let you see Henry.”

“I’m still never going to get my husband back.”

“Maybe not, but that’s a part of it.”

“My leg hurts too much.”

“And tomorrow it’ll be that you have to catch up on work, the day after that you’ll have a doctor’s appointment.” Mal perched at the end of the unmade bed. “I’ve given you a week to wallow, but it’s time to get started with putting it back together. You almost died the other night and I won’t let that happen again. If you die, I’ll kill you.”

 

Regina rolled her eyes, but looked over at her best friend. She hadn’t known Mal during her drinking days, but had always been told about her long journey to sobriety. She had it all together now. Sure, some of her family had never forgiven her for the wedding she ruined or the words she had said while under the influence, but most of them had come around. Regina wasn’t sure if there was a chance that anyone would ever forgive her. She hadn’t even attempted to call her mother since the accident, but she had a feeling that she knew all about it. Cora had a way of finding out everything.

 

“What if all of this is for nothing? What if Henry wants nothing to do with me? What if Daniel really never lets me see him again.”

“You don’t just want to get sober for them, Regina. You need to do it for yourself.”

 

Regina looked from her friend, to the wheelchair that was folded up in the corner. It’d be her first time leaving bed since she got home and it’d be to sit with a bunch of strangers, admitting she had a problem. Maybe that was the push she needed.

 

“You’re going to have to help me in the shower.”

Mal winked at her. “I’ve seen you in that state before.”

 

She went to the corner of the room and got the chair, before pushing it back to Regina’s bedside. Mal helped her friend out of bed and into the chair, pushing her towards the bathroom.

 

“You’re going to feel much better once you’re clean, Regina. I promise.”

 

Regina knew her friend meant a lot more than just the shower.


End file.
